“The venerable Lady I adore, Queen Aphrodite, owner of the shore Of seagirt Cyprus. Thither Zephyr’s breeze Had wafted her as babe with gentle ease. While yet unborn, in briny foam lay she Floating on billows of the surging sea, Whence she came forth. The Seasons young and fair With gold-embroidered bridles guided her, They took her to their arms and they caressed The little maid and had her beauty dressed In garments of Ambrosian fabric wrought. And then a crown of golden weight they brought, Three-handled, which above her head they placed. Her soft white neck with carcanets was graced, The strands of which her silver breast adorn In such a way as by the Seasons worn At dances in sylvestrian resort Or in Olympus at their father’s court. They carried up the babe so fair and wee To the immortals, who in ecstacy Began at once to hug and fondle her And kiss her hands. All vowed that they would wear The sacred flower of this divine fair maid At Hymen’s feast in festival parade. Yea, such great charm the Gods e’en never saw; They gazed and wondered and they stood in awe. O goddess, dark-browed, sweet of voice, In thee my song shall glory to rejoice! On us poor mortals here on earth below Life’s palm and heaven’s happiness bestow. [Illustration: ANOTHER VIEW OF THE CNIDIAN VENUS.] Praised be forever thy divinity, And the fair sex which representeth thee.” The nature of Venus as the mother of the universe, the mistress of existence, and the representative of all that is charming and lovely endeared her to the philosopher as well as to the poet, and so in Rome at a later day even the freethinker among classical poets, Titus Lucretius, dedicated to her his philosophical book of poetry, _De rerum natura_, in these often quoted words:[44]